Adrian Peterson Suffers Torn Ligament
Adrian Peterson – player for the Minnesota Vikings – is going to be missing the game on Sunday against Oakland after receiving a torn ligament in his right knee during their recent game. Coach Brad Childress stated that while the injury will keep him out of the game he will not need surgery – which means that he will be able to return quicker.
“The good news is that the knee is otherwise stable and the injury is isolated to that ligament,” Childress said. “I’m told that’s a good healing ligament.” Childress said this is not a season-ending injury, but he did not talk about when Peterson might be back. “I’m real hesitant to put a timeline on that thing,” Childress said.
Peterson was hurt just a week after he set an NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards in a victory over San Diego. Team doctors told Children that with ligament tears graded on a three-point scale, with three being the worst, Peterson’s tear is “two-plus.” It’s as serious as an anterior cruciate ligament tear, which would have required surgery and ended Peterson’s brilliant rookie season. “This is not one of those,” Childress said.
Peterson was injured in the third quarter Sunday. Packers cornerback Al Harris hit him in the knee just as Peterson was about to make a cut downfield, and the star rookie writhed in pain for several minutes in a scary scene. Losing the only offensive star it has will be a devastating blow to a unit that has struggled in every game Peterson has not topped 200 yards rushing this season. It’s been a one-man show in Minnesota, with Peterson accounting for 1,081 of the team’s 1,551 yards rushing and eight of the team’s 10 touchdowns rushing.
The No. 7 overall draft pick out of Oklahoma broke the single-game rushing record two weeks ago against San Diego, racking up 296 yards to put him on pace to smash Eric Dickerson’s record for yards rushing by a rookie in a single season.
Now the Vikings will turn to veteran Chester Taylor, who topped 1,200 yards rushing last season and has been solid in spot duty behind Peterson this year. Taylor is averaging 5 yards per carry in a backup role.